Clock Hands Lengths: Hour 4", Minute 6", Second 7" | 24hr Travel

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the distance traveled by the tips of clock hands with varying lengths: 4 inches for the hour hand, 6 inches for the minute hand, and 7 inches for the second hand. The distance traveled by each hand over one complete revolution is determined by the circumference of the circle traced by the tip, calculated using the formula C = 2πr, where r is the length of the hand. Specifically, the second hand travels 1,477.73 feet in 24 hours, which equates to approximately 0.28 miles.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic geometry, specifically the concept of circumference
  • Familiarity with the formula for circumference (C = 2πr)
  • Knowledge of unit conversions between inches, feet, and miles
  • Basic grasp of clock mechanics and hand movements
NEXT STEPS
  • Calculate the circumference for each clock hand using the formula C = 2πr
  • Convert distances from inches to feet and miles for practical understanding
  • Explore the relationship between angular velocity and linear distance traveled
  • Investigate the effects of different clock hand lengths on travel distances
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Mathematicians, physics students, clock enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding the mechanics of clock hands and their movement over time.

AfRoMaNn
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The hands of a clock vary in length. If the hour handis 4 inches long, the monute hand 6 inches long, and the second hand 7 inches long, how far does this of each hand travel?
and also how many feet does the second hand travel in 24 hours, how many miles?
I thought so hard about how to go about this problem, and got no where, so if anyone can just give me a jump start to the problem it would be much appreciated!
 
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AfRoMaNn said:
The hands of a clock vary in length. If the hour handis 4 inches long, the monute hand 6 inches long, and the second hand 7 inches long, how far does this of each hand travel?

Although your wording does NOT make it clear, I am going to assume that the problem is asking how far the tip of each hand travels over one complete revolution. The things that I have assumed are in italics.

Here are some thoughts to get you started. Over a complete cycle, the tip of clock hand traces out a circle, agreed? The distance traveled by the tip of that clock hand over a complete cycle is therefore just the circumference of that circular path. Furthermore, since it's the tip of the hand, the radius of the circle is just given by the length of the clock hand. Do you understand so far? So, what is the relationship between the radius of a circle and its circumference?
 

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